Stoker (2013)

Happily, this good year for horror continues with the arrival of Park Chan Wook’s, director of the fantastic Oldboy, first foray into English-language filmmaking, Stoker, a deliciously Gothic portrayal of fractured family life, with a sinister undercurrent running just below its perfect surface. It may not be the scariest horror film of all time, and it definitely won’t satisfy gore-hounds, but it’s easily one of the best, if not the best, of the year thus far, unravelling at a pace so slow it’ll leave you digging through your arm rest till it’s torn to shreds.

Read More

Catfish (2010)

Though it’s not technically a horror film, Catfish is the kind of bizarre mystery thriller that only really exists because it’s masquerading as a documentary. If the story was presented to us as a fictional narrative, we’d scoff at its inaccuracies. Instead, everyone gasped as the plot was revealed - who knew that people created fake profiles on Facebook, and then used them to lure unsuspecting strangers into relationships with them? Shock, horror indeed. I went into this fairly cynical, but funnily enough, I was surprised, not at the plot, but by how much I liked it.

Read More

A-Z of Horror: Z: Zodiac (2007)

image
When it comes to horror, sometimes, what is scarcely seen is scarier than what is. Our own imaginations conjure up what could never be expressed through film, and it is this idea that makes the best genre pieces truly terrifying. I’m a big champion of the “less is more” philosophy. Though I enjoy gore-splattered madness and over-the-top, inventive kills, I also love quiet, brooding, tension that builds to the point of an almost excruciating pain for the viewer, the likes of which cannot be equalled with torture or violence.

Read More

Horror Challenge Day 18


A movie with unsettling scenery

The bunker in The Hole really freaked me out the very first time I saw the film. I’m not a particularly claustrophobic person, but even watching it makes me feel like the walls are closing in on me, so I can’t begin to imagine how cramped the actors must’ve felt while filming. The school that the characters attend appears to be in the middle of nowhere, too, and the opening scene, where Thora Birch is stumbling, bloodied and muddy, through the woods, emphasises the idea that nobody would be able to hear them scream or come to their rescue, even if they’d wanted to be found (which, for most of the film, they don’t). The Hole is quite simple, and for a lot of it, nothing particularly scary happens, but the eventual descent into madness and death is very well-executed, and even when the door is opened and light floods into the bunker - which, in itself, is filthy, dark and crawling with bugs -, it still doesn’t really make it any easier to breathe/feel closer to civilisation.

Trailer For Kev Williamson’s The Following Surprisingly Scary



It seems like ages ago that I was writing about Kevin Williamson’s upcoming serial killer TV show, The Following - in fact, back then, it didn’t even have a title, but the involvement of Williamson, and the focus on a serial killer whose name doesn’t rhyme with Shmexter, had me quite excited nonetheless. But now, finally, yet somewhat out of the blue, since it seems so long since I’ve heard anything about it, we have a trailer for what will hopefully be a great slice of horror TV. At least, if the promo is anything to go by.

Read More

Sodium Party Needs Your Help



First off, let me apologise, because I should’ve written this post ages ago, when the campaign to fund this awesome film first began. I’m a bad friend, and a lazy arse. But better late than never (I hope, since there are only six days to go). I hate promotion for the sake of it, I refuse to do it, so trust me when I say that this comes entirely from the heart, and I’m not being paid a cent (popcorn is on you next time, mate).

Read More

Triangle (2009)

image
I recently stumbled upon Shock Til You Drop’s “Overlooked Horror Movies” list (which you can check out here and here) and figured that, since today is a bank holiday and I’m feeling a bit lazy, I’d choose a couple of films from it and decide whether or not they had earned their spots. Please note that Jennifer’s Body is on the list but, as far as I’m concerned, it doesn’t require viewing - the fact it was penned by Diablo Cody and stars Megan Fox is enough for me - but if I’m feeling particularly venomous one Saturday night, a review of it may just surface here.

Read More

Two Girls, One Spree



Though I’m definitely not a fan of torture porn, or sexual violence, I must admit I was intrigued when I copped the poster for the simply-titled Girls Against Boys, an upcoming thriller which was written and directed by the amazingly-named Austin Chick. The film premiered at Austin’s South by South West (SXSW) Film Fest last Friday, and apparently K5 Films has just taken over the international sales for the project - which I’m guessing is a good thing, seeing as we rarely get to see such flicks on these shores.


The plot concerns two girls who go on a killing spree in NYC - whether for revenge or just for fun remains to be seen. The girls in question are sort-of nobodies Danielle Panabaker (from the awful Friday the 13th remake and the upcoming Piranha 3DD) and Nicole La Liberte (from that Dinner With Schmucks crap that wasn’t funny, and which nobody saw). Neither are particularly adept actresses, but seeing as both have indulged in dodgy horror fare thus far, there is hope that they could make this film as darkly funny as it claims to be in its’ blurb.


After viewing the just-released clips from the film, I was both surprised and impressed that the chicks in the starring roles aren’t exactly Hollywood-pretty, nor are they over-the-top as violent, bloodthirsty fiends. The idea behind the movie intrigues me, and I don’t want to judge too much from 8 minutes of footage. Having said that, the final clip seems a bit silly, and the one entitled “Shea confronts her rapist” has me thinking that maybe this is a revenge thriller, in which case it’s been sanitised so as not to frighten men off - unlike the fantastically twisted Teeth, which suffered for its bravery - and is therefore not as interesting to me, as a chick or a even a lover of horror.


Nevertheless, I’m hoping Girls Against Boys lives up to its’ name as a gory, fucked-up thriller in which finally chicks are distributing and revelling in inflicting pain on men. It’s about time we got to tie dudes down and cut them up, as opposed to baring our flesh while screaming for mercy (none of which is supposed to suggest I’m a breast-beating feminist - far from it). From what I can gather, it seems like a fairly low-budget affair, which should mean it’s the right kind of gritty. And the fact the chicks aren’t exactly what one might call “hot” makes me even more excited to watch them lure unsuspecting males to their doom. Check out the clips here, and see what you think - is it too much or too little?

Good news for Kevin Williamson fans



After news broke this week that Kevin Williamson, writer of all four Scream films thus far, would not be penning Scream 5, I was beginning to think maybe I’d have to resort to watching The Vampire Diaries to get my fix. Luckily, I’ve been saved from such a terrible fate with more news of the as-yet-untitled TV project helmed by Williamson, which tells the story of the struggle between an FBI agent and the serial killer he brought to justice.


Starring James Purefoy (whom I haven’t seen in anything decent - he was in Resident Evil if that makes it any clearer) and Kevin Bacon (who needs no introduction) as serial killer and FBI agent respectively, the series is set to be dark, gritty, and presented with the tone of a serial killer thriller.


Apparently, years after Bacon’s alcoholic - of course - cop Ryan Hardy took down Bacon’s Joe Carroll, Carroll escapes from prison, after a double murder, and Hardy is dragged out of retirement to deal with him again, only to realise that, this time around, he is hunting not just his old nemesis, but an entire cult of serial killers whom were inspired by him.


As yet, there are very few details, save for certain ideas about Carroll’s serial killer style, e.g. that apparently he removes the eyes of his victims as an homage to his favourite author, Edgar Allan Poe - what is it with Poe this week? He’s everywhere - which is disturbing, but nothing new. The castlist looks pretty good, with Shawn Ashmore (from the superb Frozen) and Nico Tortorella (very good in Scream 4) among those confirmed to be starring.


I’ll admit, I don’t usually watch much horror TV. I’m not somebody who pores over Criminal Minds or who got very excited over the twist in American Horror Story - come to think of it, I’ve yet to watch any AHS at all - but I am excited for this, and not just because Kevin Williamson has writing duties. The premise sounds damn good, and even has the potential to be a bit scary. And, the great thing about a TV series is that the scare potential can be dragged out over months of episodes, wheareas a film must make its point in one, 90-minute block. This is the kind of thing that could stick with me after I’ve switched the TV off, and properly scare me, so I’m very excited. Hopefully we’ll get some sort of trailer/stills soon to whet our appetites further.